Big Indian Air Force Recruitment 2025 Alert! AFCAT 01/2026 Opens for 340 Officer Posts — Apply Online Now

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Indian Air Force (IAF) has published the AFCAT-01/2026 notification to recruit 340 officers in Flying, Ground Duty (Technical & Non-Technical) and NCC Special Entry branches. Online applications open on 17 November 2025 and close on 14 December 2025. Note: age cut-off and educational conditions are pegged to 01-Jan-2027 and specific branch-wise percentage minimums apply.

Overview Section

Organization Name

Indian Air Force (IAF) — Air Force Common Admission Test (AFCAT)

One-sentence “what’s new” or context

AFCAT-01/2026 notifies intake for courses commencing January 2027; the exam is scheduled for 31 January 2026, and the notification lists modernised technical disciplines (AI/ML, Cyber Security, IoT etc.) for AE(L) eligibility.

Important Dates

All dates are taken from the official AFCAT notification (AFCAT_01-2026 Notification PDF) and the published article.

  • Notification released / Date of issue: (Notification date shown in PDF header — publication dated November 2025).

  • Start Date for Apply Online: 17-11-2025 (1100 Hrs).

  • Last Date for Apply Online / Closing: 14-12-2025 (2330 Hrs).

  • Online AFCAT examination date: 31-01-2026 (Saturday).

  • Course commencement (intake effective): January 2027 (course start).

  • Admit card / Call letter: To be notified via AFCAT portal (applicants to download from portal once released).

  • Result / Merit list: To be notified by IAF (final merit based on written exam + AFSB/SSB tests).

(If exact PDF fields show additional administrative dates — those are reproduced above. Any dates not present in the PDF are marked “To be notified”.)

Application Fees & Payment Mode

  • AFCAT Entry Fee: ₹550 + GST (non-refundable).

  • NCC Special Entry Fee: NIL.

  • Payment Mode: Online Payment Gateway via the AFCAT application portal (debit/credit card/netbanking/UPI as supported on the portal). Applicants must complete “Make Payment” step — details available on portal.

Eligibility Section

Age Limit (state cut-off date)

  • Cut-off date for age calculation: 01-Jan-2027 (as stated in the notification).

  • Flying Branch (AFCAT & NCC Special Entry): 20 to 24 years as on 01-01-2027 (born between 02-Jan-2003 and 01-Jan-2007, inclusive).

    • Upper age relaxable to 26 years for candidates holding valid/current Commercial Pilot License (CPL) issued by DGCA (born between 02-Jan-2001 and 01-Jan-2007).

  • Ground Duty (Technical & Non-Technical): 20 to 26 years as on 01-01-2027 (born between 02-Jan-2001 and 01-Jan-2007).

  • Marital Status: Candidates must be unmarried at the time of commencement of the course; marriage during training is not permitted.

Total Posts

  • Total vacancies: 340 (combined across Flying, Ground Duty Technical, Ground Duty Non-Technical, and NCC Special Entry). (Vacancies are tentative and subject to service requirements as per PDF.)

Qualification (exact wording paraphrased with precision)

  • Flying Branch: Passed 10+2 with Physics and Mathematics and (a) Graduation (minimum 3-year degree) with 60% OR (b) BE/B.Tech (4-year) with 60% OR (c) Cleared Sections A & B of AMIE/Aeronautical Society with 60%. Also 50% each in Physics & Math at 10+2.

  • Ground Duty (Technical) — AE(L) & AE(M): Engineering degree/integrated post-graduate/recognized equivalents with minimum 60% in specified disciplines; MSc Electronics (50% + BSc Physics 60%) also accepted for some posts. The notification lists a very large set of modern IT/CS/EE disciplines explicitly (AI, Data Science, Cyber Security, IoT, Robotics, Software Engg, etc.).

  • Ground Duty (Non-Technical): Graduation or Post-Graduation in relevant fields (Administration, Accounts, Logistics, Education, Meteorology, etc.) as specified per post.

  • NCC Special Entry: Specific NCC qualifications — 10% seats reserved for NCC Air Wing Senior Division ‘C’ certificate holders (details in notification).

Status

  • Status: Active (Application window 17-11-2025 to 14-12-2025).

Vacancy Details

The following vacancy table is reproduced from the official AFCAT notification PDF (AFCAT_01-2026). Vacancies are tentative and subject to change by IAF.

Entry Branch Course Number Men (PC) Women (PC) Men (SSC) Women (SSC)
AFCAT Entry Flying 221/27F/SSC/M&W — — 34 04
AFCAT Entry Ground Duty (Technical) 220/27T/PC/110AEC/M&W
220/27T/SSC/110AEC/M&W		 AE(L): 03
AE(M): 09		 AE(L): 03
AE(M): 03		 AE(L): 100
AE(M): 38		 AE(L): 23
AE(M): 09
AFCAT Entry Ground Duty (Non-Technical) 220/27G/SSC/M&W — — Weapon Systems (WS) Branch: 21
Admin: 48
Lgs: 09
Accts: 08
Edn: 02
Met: 01		 Weapon Systems (WS): 05
Admin: 12
Lgs: 02
Accts: 02
Edn: 02
Met: 02
NCC Special Entry Flying 221/27F/PC/M and 221/27F/SSC/M&W — — See note: 10% seats out of CDSE/AFCAT vacancies reserved for NCC C certificate holders —

Disclaimer from PDF: Vacancies indicated are tentative and subject to service requirements; actual intake depends on manning considerations.

Post Name & Eligibility Table

Post Name Minimum Educational Requirement (short) No. of Vacancies (as per PDF)
Flying Branch (AFCAT/SSC) 10+2 Physics & Maths + Graduation (60%) or BE/B.Tech (60%) or AMIE Sections A & B (60%) 38 (34 Men SSC + 4 Women SSC)
AE(L) — Aeronautical Engineer (Electronics) Engineering / MSc Electronics + BSc Physics / Equivalent (60% where stated) PC 06? / SSC 146? (see Vacancy details above — combined columns)
AE(M) — Aeronautical Engineer (Mechanical) Engineering in Mechanical/Related disciplines (60%) See Vacancy table above
Ground Duty — Weapon Systems / Admin / Logistics / Accounts / Education / Meteorology Graduation/Post Graduation in relevant streams See Vacancy table above
NCC Special Entry (Flying) NCC Air Wing Senior Division ‘C’ certificate 10% seats as per notification (allocated out of CDSE/AFCAT vacancies)

Note: The PDF lists detailed discipline-level eligibility (many Computer/IT/EE specializations for AE(L) etc.). Exact per-post counts are reproduced in the Vacancy Details table above as given in the official notification. When publishing, include the full discipline list for AE(L) from the PDF (copied in article text or linked to the PDF).

How to Check, Download & Apply

Step-by-step (optimized):

  1. Download the Official Notification PDF (read fully). Links below in Important Links. Save file as: IAF_AFCAT_01-2026_Notification.pdf.

  2. Read Eligibility Carefully. Note the age cut-off 01-Jan-2027, educational % minima (60% for many posts) and marital status rules (must be unmarried during training).

  3. Create/Prepare Documents: Scanned photograph (JPEG/PNG), scanned signature (JPEG/PNG), scanned educational certificates (PDF/JPEG), Aadhaar card (PDF/JPEG). Suggested filenames (exact):

    • Aadhaar_XXXXXXXXXXXX.pdf (PDF)

    • PassportPhoto_FirstLast.jpg (JPEG, 10–100 KB)

    • Signature_FirstLast.jpg (JPEG)

    • Degree_FirstLast.pdf (PDF)

  4. Register on AFCAT Portal: Visit https://afcat.edcil.co.in — Click AFCAT 01/2026 Apply Online. (Exact link text on portal: “Detailed Notification PDF” / application form.)

  5. Sign Up / Register: Provide personal details and verify via OTP. Save the User ID and Password emailed/SMS to you.

  6. Complete Application Form: Fill personal, educational, and branch choices; upload documents (follow portal size & format guidelines).

  7. Payment: Proceed to Make Payment via payment gateway (₹550 + GST if applicable). After payment, submit and download confirmation page. Save as AFCAT01_2026_Application_<YourName>.pdf.

  8. Screenshot instructions: When saving confirmation/receipt, take a full-page screenshot, and also download any generated PDF confirmation. File name for screenshot: AFCAT01_2026_PaymentReceipt_<YourName>.png.

  9. Multiple Applications: If multiple submissions happen, only the latest application for a particular Aadhaar is considered for admit card. Fees for additional submissions are non-refundable.

  10. Print & Keep Copies: Keep both soft and one hard copy of submitted application, payment receipt, and uploaded certificates.

Exact link text + application URL (use when creating CTAs on the page):

10. Mode of Selection (H2)

  • Written Examination (AFCAT) — Online: Objective online test (date: 31-01-2026). Marks in written exam form part of final merit. Minimum qualifying marks must be obtained separately in written exam and AFSB tests.

  • AFSB (Air Force Selection Board) Testing / SSB: Stage-I (Officer Intelligence Rating + Picture Perception & Discussion) screening on Day-1; Stage-II (Psychological test, Group Tests, Interview) over subsequent days; document checks are performed for Stage-I qualified candidates.

  • Flying Specific Tests: Computerised Pilot Selection System (CPSS) — administered to recommended flying candidates only (once in a lifetime test; previous CPSS failure disqualifies).

  • Final Merit: Based on total marks in written exam + AFSB tests. Branch allotment based on vacancies, selection performance, medical fitness and candidate choice.

 

Detailed Notification PDF
Employment Notification PDF
Official Website
Apply Online (AFCAT portal)

Conclusion + Disclaimer

This article summarises AFCAT-01/2026 recruitment details as published in the official notification PDF and the listed recruitment announcement. Disclaimer: The official AFCAT notification PDF linked in Important Links is the authoritative document — applicants must rely on that PDF for legal and final details. Always confirm particulars (vacancies, age relaxation, final dates) on the official AFCAT portal before applying.

Can married candidates apply?

No — Candidates must be unmarried at commencement of course; marriage

What is the age cut-off date?

Age is calculated as on 01-Jan-2027 (see notification).

Is Aadhaar mandatory for registration?

Yes — Aadhaar is mandatory for online registration per notification.

What is the application fee and is it refundable?

₹550 + GST for AFCAT (non-refundable). NCC Special Entry — NIL.

Where to download admit card?

Admit cards will be available on the AFCAT portal (afcat.edcil.co.in) once released. Keep login credentials safe.

1-page downloadable checklist (plain text; can be saved as TXT or converted to PDF)

AFCAT 01/2026 — WHAT TO PREPARE BEFORE APPLYING (Checklist)

1) Read & Download:
   - Official notification: Notification_AFCAT_01-2026.pdf
   - Save as: IAF_AFCAT_01-2026_Notification.pdf

2) Documents to scan:
   - Aadhaar Card (front/back) -> Aadhaar_XXXXXXXXXXXX.pdf (PDF)
   - Passport-size photograph -> PassportPhoto_FirstLast.jpg (JPEG)
   - Signature -> Signature_FirstLast.jpg (JPEG)
   - 10th / Matric certificate (DOB proof) -> Matric_FirstLast.pdf (PDF)
   - 10+2 certificate (showing Physics & Maths for Flying branch) -> 12th_FirstLast.pdf
   - Degree certificate / Provisional Degree -> Degree_FirstLast.pdf
   - Mark sheets (all semesters/years) -> Marksheet_FirstLast.pdf
   - NCC 'C' certificate (if applicable) -> NCC_Certificate_FirstLast.pdf
   - Commercial Pilot License (if applicable) -> CPL_FirstLast.pdf

3) File formats & sizes:
   - Photos: JPG/PNG (as per portal); Signature: JPG; Documents: PDF.
   - Compress PDFs to under portal limits; ensure readability.

4) Application details to keep handy:
   - Valid mobile number & email
   - Aadhaar number
   - Academic details (percentages, year of passing, university)
   - Choice of branches (order of preference)

5) Payment:
   - Netbanking / Debit / Credit / UPI details for ₹550 + GST (if applicable)
   - Screenshot or saved PDF of payment receipt -> AFCAT01_2026_PaymentReceipt_YourName.png

6) Post-Submission:
   - Download application confirmation -> AFCAT01_2026_Application_YourName.pdf
   - Keep at least 2 printed copies of the final application and payment receipt.
   - Note UserID and password emailed/SMS.

7) Before final submit:
   - Re-check DOB entry vs Matriculation certificate.
   - Cross-verify educational percentages (rounding may matter).
   - Ensure uploaded documents are clear and certified where required.

8) Additional:
   - Prepare for online exam: register for mocks, timetable.
   - Prepare medically & physically for SSB/AFSB (fitness regimen).

(End of Checklist)

Big Indian Air Force Recruitment 2025 Alert! AFCAT 01/2026 Opens for 340 Officer Posts — Apply Online Now

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